Recovery
by D McVetty
Summary: Tony never came back from the other side of the universe, and was proclaimed lost in the battle with the Chitauri. Pepper and Natasha's relationship developed further, into romance. There's plot if you squint. Mostly a shameless excuse to practice writing porn.


**info:** I don't often write smut, but when I do, there's always an underlying plot. Kind of. For some reason, I like killing Tony. So have at it. Lesbian smut from a lesbian who hasn't had sex in two years.

* * *

Pepper's eyes are red from crying, her hands clenching around a tissue. When Natasha walks into the room, she quickly turns around, sniffling and dabbing at her eyes with the tissue as if, perhaps, Natasha will forget she saw anything. Natasha closes the door behind her, moving on her toes, effortlessly coming to a stop beside Pepper. Tash isn't good at this, she never has been. Even with Clint, she struggles to find completely comforting words. She knows how to speak through gestures and actions, but that isn't to say she doesn't try.

"I'm sorry, Pepper," Natasha says quietly.

Pepper takes a deep breath, turning around with her fake business smile. "Thank you, Natasha."

They long ago gave up on the formality of using last names. Sometime between Tony's stunt with the race car and the big reveal that he was dying the whole time. He was going to make Pepper an omelet and tell her, that was one thing she would never let the eccentric playboy forget. How Pepper ever kept a leash on Tony Stark was a mystery to the rest of the Avengers. Less of a mystery to Natasha, who was there to see it all. But now Tony was gone, leaving a gaping hole at Stark Tower, and in the Avengers themselves. No one had seen the sacrifice being in Tony's hands. For six months, the team and Pepper had been struggling to make sense of it all.

"Another bad night?" Tasha asks.

Pepper nods, tears threatening to spill again.

"Clint is having a bad night, too." As soon as she says it, Natasha realizes it isn't the right thing. So she drops the words and steps forward, pulling Pepper into an embrace. It isn't that odd - despite their bitter appearance on the outside, Natasha and Pepper grew closer in the months they worked together. Closer than a normal buisiness relationship, and certainly close enough that Tony, were he here, would be entertained to no end.

Tasha plants a kiss on the top of Pepper's head, the scent of her shampoo lifting through her senses. Pepper's hands reach around her, holding her close. Tasha's kisses slowly move down, touching lightly on Pepper's forehead, her brow, the bridge of her freckled nose. When their lips meet, Pepper lets out a small squeak, her hands gripping the fabric of Tasha's loose shirt, borrowed from Clint before coming to check on Pepper. Tasha presses close, and Pepper's mouth opens to allow Tasha's explorations, little moans between them. Tasha's hands slide down from Pepper's shoulders, touching softly, exploring quietly and surely. Pepper's hands move slower, with a hesitant rhythm, their touch unsure and faltering. Natasha lifts her head, breaking their kiss for a breath.

"Don't be nervous," she whispers.

"Sorry, I-" Pepper hesitates, her eyes meeting Tasha's. "I'm not nervous! Maybe you should be more forward!"

Tasha grins, a light laugh trickling from her lips as she lets one hand tangle in Pepper's hair. "Really? That's what you want?"

Pepper leans forward to kiss the taunting lips, tugging Tasha closer.

Pepper lifts Tasha's shirt over her head, tossing it neatly onto the couch, always thoughtful even during times of passion. Tasha works the buttons on Pepper's blouse, their lips mashing together in kisses growing more frantic and lusty by the second. Tasha's fingers stumble over the last button, and she pulls it apart with one swift movement. Pepper objects with a muffled moan, the shirt forgotten nearly immediately as Tasha's tongue touches her neck, a gentle bite to her collarbone silencing any protests she thought to make. Deft fingers work the clasp on Pepper's bra, sliding the hooks out and dropping the fabric from Pepper's breasts. She lets the bra fall to the floor without care of where it winds up at the end of this adventure. Tasha returns her attention to the kiss, their lips meeting in passionate moments, tongues touching and exploring sensitive skin. One hand reaches around Pepper's lower back, the other sliding down the front of her neatly pressed slacks. The gasping moan into Tasha's mouth sends a shiver down her spine, and she breaks the kiss to look over Pepper's shoulder.

Spotting the perfectly unused sofa (with Clint's shirt neatly tossed on it), Tasha turns Pepper quckly, pressing her down on the couch. Pepper's fingers dig into Tasha's back, her back arching, eyes closing as a gasp of surprise slips from her throat. The master assassin trails her tongue from Pepper's collarbone to her nipple, licking before gently taking Pepper's perky nipple into her mouth. Pepper moans, fingers twinging into Tasha's curly hair. There is a learned dance here, in Tasha's movements and Pepper's reactions. A dance that Tasha starts, and never leaves unfinished. Her hand moves between Pepper's legs, stroking through her slacks, while her tongue circles Pepper's nipple. She kisses the nipple once more, moving her kisses across Pepper's thin chest to press over her other nipple. Pepper gasps and arches again, and Tasha licks slowly, deliberately, savoring every tiny moan and movement. Tasha unbuttons the slacks with one hand, pushing them away and moving aside the undoubtedly plain black underwear beneath. Her tongue teasing Pepper's nipple, her hand slips between Pepper's thighs, sliding her fingers over the warm wetness.

Pepper's right hand twists in Tasha's hair, while her left hand reaches for the nearest object, the couch pillow, and clenches it in her fist, a gasp forcing itself out of her throat. Tasha shifts to catch Pepper's mouth, forcing their lips together and pressing her tongue to the sensitive spots. Her fingers slide over Pepper's vagina, tentatively slipping one in. Pepper's melting moan of release gives Tasha the go, and her fingers enter Pepper smoothly, moving slowly. Tasha breaks the kiss, dropping touches down Pepper's neck, onto her collarbone, down to her nipple, circling and teasing as she works her hand rhythmically with Pepper's moans, the arch of her body. Pepper's gasps grow louder, her hand in Tasha's hair pulling harder. Her hips shift beneath Tasha with each movement, pressing against her hand. Tasha swirls her tongue around Pepper's nipple, trailing kisses down Pepper's stomach. The hand in her hair pushes her, urging her, and she doesn't need to be asked twice.

Pepper always tastes fresh, clean, like she stepped out of the shower five minutes before going for a romp on the couch. Tasha licks Pepper slowly, letting the warmth transfer from her mouth to Pepper's clit. Her free hand grasps Pepper's breast, her tongue lapping against Pepper's clit in intoxicating, delightful movements, her fingers reaching inside, pressing and caressing the right places.

The pillow hits Tasha as Pepper's hips lift, and she bites back a loud moan. Tasha doesn't stop licking until Pepper is tugging gently at her hair and her thighs are shaking. Kissing Pepper's clit, Tasha extracts her fingers, watching Pepper shiver and pull Clint's shirt over her face. Tasha grabs the shirt, pulling it away to kiss Pepper's lips, looking down at the woman with a smile.

"Shut up," Pepper warns tiredly, closing her eyes.

"Yes, Ma'am."

Pepper reaches up for Tasha, pulling her down to hold her.

"Don't you want breakfast?" Tasha asks, squirming to escape Pepper's grip.

"Breakfast? Its two in the morning."

"Any time is a good time for breakfast. I'll get it ready. I'm sure Clint will be awake still."

And just like that, Pepper found herself in a relationship with the pair of them, filling in for their missing piece, just as they filled in for hers.


End file.
